Ladd

Just moving in and I am beyond excited!!! My apartment is beautiful, the location is perfect and my view… Amazing! Love Ladd! Thank you Travis Anson for being so great throughout the leasing process. Moving from out of state has never been so easy!

My rating of Ladd was lowered because of cost also. I also think this is one of the best places to live in downtown Portland. We lived there for 2 years. We would still be living there if it wasn’t for large rent increases. The first year… you deal with it the second… not liking it… but the third time with the increase of 14%?? Even the cost of living raises don’t offset the increase.
So we moved out of downtown living and bought a house with decreasing the cost almost half with a bigger square footage floor plan.
It is a shame. A lot of people in the building were forced to move because of the increases. It doesn’t seem to be that cost effective for Ladd to continuously prepare apartments for the next tenants when they can keep the ones they have!
If you have endless cash to spend then the Ladd is the place to be!

I am lowering my rating of Ladd for one reason, and one reason only — cost. I still think this is one of the best places to live in Portland. I’ve been here over 3 years and can say without a doubt the staff here are some of the friendliest, most genuine people you can deal with. The property is well managed, well kept, safe, and quiet (seriously, I never hear my neighbors). Only problem is it has gotten really, really expensive to live here. I won’t discuss the exact details of my rent, but I will say I live in a small studio, make a very healthy salary, and my last increase made me cringe.
I understand that supply and demand, gentrification, and the popularity of urban living have led to these increases, and that they are to be expected in a city like Portland; but I still feel my current rent is a big excessive, hence the downgrade from 5 to 4 stars.
Here is a more detailed star rating:
5-​Stars:
Sales/​Concierge Staff
Local/​on property management
Maintenance
Building Construction
Location
4-​Stars:
Amenities (great gym, bike storage, etc, but no pool, spa, or rooftop bar)
Noise Levels (from the street, not other residences)
3-​Stars:
HVAC (some units, including mine, don’t have AC and can really heat up)
Corporate/​off property management
Value
I’ll explain why I gave corporate 3-​stars. Although the on property management is incredible, it seems their hands are often tied by corporate when it comes to rent increases, bargaining, and working with residents. For instance, I was interested in a multi-​year lease at a fixed rent, but corporate doesn’t allow such leases. That’s fine, but when corporate policies become to widespread and restrictive, I feel less like a resident of a community that wants me around, and more like an employee or customer of the management company. Also, all the employees here recently started wearing name tags. The residents of Ladd are a fairly tight knit community and introducing such formalities gives a corporate feel to a relationship that should be friendly and neighborly; although they have been a good foundation for some pretty funny jokes.

I applied for housing here. I will be doing a short term assignment in Portland, and my employer will be paying for my housing up to a certain $ amount. I submitted an application and paid the $ 46 application fee only to be told that the apartment I could afford, and which I had thought had been put on hold for me, had been rented. The only apartments they had left were above my allotted per diem. So why did I have to pay $ 46 for an application for an apartment that did not exist?

I lived at Ladd in a studio on the 17^th floor with my boyfriend for two years and we really enjoyed our time there!
Pros:
The staff is top notch (really amazing… our new property manager doesn’t even come close to comparing to the level of friendliness and professionalism that you find in the entire team at Ladd).
Amazing location close to work and transit.
Modern amenities
Beautiful north facing views of Mt. St. Helens and downtown from the upper flooers.
Cons:
The studio layout that we were in wasted a lot of space. There was a really long hallway between the sleeping area and living area that was two narrow to put anything in.
The bedroom area got stuffy in summer with no AC (in north facing rooms) and no windows. Definitely needed to invest in a fan.
The studio prices are way too high now (~1500). Within 6 months of leaving the rent prices for the studio we were in went up $ 300 more than it was when we were there.

Charles Yu is the reason we live at the Ladd. We looked at many places downtown and having someone like Charles assist us made all the difference. We had several interactions with Charles before we signed the lease and he was extremely helpful. We like the Ladd so far. The location is perfect and we love an open front door during the day. Check it out!

When we moved to Portland five years ago, my boyfriend and I chose to takeover a lease at Ladd on a bit of a whim and we’re more than thrilled that we did. We lived here for two years taking over various sublets, living on the 11^th and 12^th floors and had nothing but an amazing experience. Eventually we chose to move out to live in other parts of Portland («you have to try the Pearl» everyone said… «You’ll love it» they said). After two years of being away we moved back and have vowed never to leave as long as we’re in Portland. I actually think this place spoiled me… no other apartment has ever lived up to Ladd. The staff is amazing — friendly, courtesy, hospitable, down right fabulous. The building is modern-​ish with a touch of classic. Is it what I would choose to decorate my own place with? No. But I don’t own it, so I can’t complain. The apartments have quality finishes and amenities and have never disappointed. I love this building, the location and the staff. It all adds up to a great place if you’re looking for downtown Portland living.

Elizabeth H. at the Ladd Tower was fantastic in helping us to decide where we want to live. Although we didn’t end up choosing Ladd, we are still very grateful for the thorough help and communication we received from Elizabeth. She made sure to explain all our options and keep us in the loop on open units. She strove to help us find a unit that fit our budget and addressed all our concerns. Thank you, Elizabeth!

I lived at Ladd for a year and it was a great experience. Charles Yu, who was my leasing agent, listened to my requests and gave me several great apartment options. All of the leasing staff are friendly and attentive. The maintenance staff keeping the building in top condition. Excellent City Center location.

My apartment search downtown was very extensive. I chose Ladd for a number of reasons: stellar view of the city, in close walking distance to just about everything, well-​appointed interiors, minimal carbon footprint, and great floor plans. A great building can still be a disaster, though, without the right people. That’s the cherry on top for me at the Ladd. The staff has been awesome to work with, especially Charles. He really bends over backwards for you, and always with a smile. Glad to call this place home!

I moved into Ladd sight unseen due to not actually living in Portland before the move-​in date. Charles handled all of my questions and the rental application process amazingly smoothly. Ladd had gone so far as to have all unit floorplans videotaped so I was able to see what each unit looked like. I love the fact that the building is green, and the buildout is very high-​quality. I had a studio apartment that was more than large enough to make me feel like I had plenty of room to breathe, and the neighbors here are also really friendly. I’d definitely recommend Ladd Apartments to anyone working in the downtown area, it’s a super convenient location and the staff is very professional and friendly at all times.

LOVE LADD!!! We moved here from Miami, FL and had no clue what LADD looked like, who the people were, the amenities, or even what our apartment looked like in the inside and if it was suitable for our needs. But, the moment that Charles, picked up the phone on our initial informational phone call, we knew we would be able to call this place home. Charles’ patience, willing to work hard for us, expedited the whole process, and made sure that our living arrangements were all taken care of when we arrived to Portland for the first time. We could not have asked for better customer service and quality of care. His passion for the tenants truly shows each and every day with a huge smile on his face when he sees everyone in the lobby, on the elevator, in the garage, or on a random floor. We appreciated everything he did for us! We even asked for measurements our of our unit and he physically went to the room and walked it off and measured it for us that same day and scanned us a copy of a blueprint with the measurements of the space. That was when we knew Charles was someone we trusted and we would enjoy living at LADD!!!

Everyday I appreciate living at the Ladd – from walking to excellent restaurants, first-​run movies, and cultural events to using the MAX and streetcars to get everywhere else. The staff is superlative in every way. From the beginning, they knew my name and responded to requests and questions. The building is clean and well maintained. My view is spectacular and the neighbors are great! I love not owning a house and have made the Ladd my home.

Okay, so before you read ANY further you need to know a few things: I have not yet moved into this apartment complex. This review is being written solely for those who like myself have hunted down housing from afar (very «afar” — say the God forsaken state of Florida, in my case). This is a review of the process I have gone through and will, of course, be updated once residency has commenced.
CONTINUE READING FRIENDS.
If you are like me, a native northwestern (born in Seattle, raised in San Francisco, a heart stuck in Portland) who has been foolish enough to leave the west coast and venture to any other state in the union, you know what a complete clusterf*ck it can be to scramble back to the right side. I recently realized the gravity of my misfortune and misjudgement and decided to hightail it back. I applied and was accepted to PSU in a very short period of time and was jumping-​literally-​with joy at the news until I realized: Where the hell am I going to live?!
I’m stuck in southern FL, no means of touring, venturing or otherwise establishing any kind of relation with any available apartment or house in the greater Southwest Portland area. So I was left solely to the finite resources of my computer and cellphone.
So, it began.
I looked at Cyan, University Pointe, The Emery, Riva, Goose Hollow, The Yards, you name it, I looked into it. And none came even slightly close to as impressive as the Ladd. And that’s just at face (screen?) value.
I «Requested information» and literally no sooner had I pushed the button did my iPhone light up, eager to show me an email from none other than the Ladd leasing staff. Perusing the information, I became more and more resolute that this is where I would be coming home to every night. As I painted scenes of apartment lovelieness I was interrupted by a shrill ring from the vicinity my hand. «Portland, OREGON» calling. Twas’ Ladd :)
Charles, my leasing agent and new best friend was on the other line. He kindly introduced himself and then proceeded to ask me all about myself. I explained my rather sticky situation. He smiled (or so it sounded like) and walked me through what my options were. He gave me competitive pricing, for the EXACT studio layout I wanted, on a high floor (better views, you see?) and for the exact time frame I needed AND pictures, forms and documents in my inbox in less than 15 mins (I explained to him that I was in a tad time crunch). He also arranged to give me eldest sister, a ten year resident of Oregon (CA transplant) a guided tour of the entire building, and the unit in question– within 72 hours of this. She herself has lived all over PDX and was floored at the ammenities and space included for the price we were paying. On top of being in one of the nicest neighborhoods in PDX and sitting right on top of my school.
As a plus, they’ve also agreed to store a huge amount of my boxes being shipped from here ahead of time, and put them into my unit prior to my arrival. A+ service!
Basically, to summarize this long personal antecdote, if you’re looking from afar and are looking for the best location in town, with some of the best ammenities available– CONSIDER Ladd. From the units themselves to the entirely helpful staff, you won’t be disapointed at your decision. I’m not, yet.
I can’t be more excited to move in.

Pros:
Location might be the only advantage
Cons:
Overpriced
Unprofessional staff
Unstable rent– I lived here for 3 years and every year they asked for 10%+ increase which was not at all in line with market trends

Everything the other reviewers has said is true. This place is great… BUT…you pay for it. The prices here are a bit more expensive than comparable places in Portland that don’t have the same location.
So if location is one of the most important factors, then you can’t go wrong here.
The counters do suck a little. The wait for an elevator can feel unbearable and the gate system in the parking garage SUCKS!!! It will be the bane of your existence.
But the staff is wonderful and friendly, the location is unbeatable and the finishes and quality are basically top notch.

(LONG but helpful review if you’re looking to rent/​are renting here)
I’ve lived in both a ‘7^th floor ‘studio plus’ unit and a 12^th floor ‘2-​bedroom’ unit since 2010.
PROS:
CONCIERGE: Everyone who is on staff here is amazing. Not only thorough, efficient and helpful — they are also personable and friendly. They know you as a person and not just a commission move-​in.
[example scene] Elevator full of 9 separate residents, Max (sales associate/​concierge) will wave his key card and hit every single tenants floor without asking. He literally remembers each person by name, floor and 80% of the time — unit number.
[example scene] Travis and Charles (sales associates/​concierge) picked right up on a prior conversation about family and business matters multiple times. Makes you feel very special and I’ve heard them do the same for all the other tenants.
ONLINE SERVICES: The Ladd is wired online to connect the tenants, community room reservation schedule, event calendar and also is connected to a flat screen TV in the lobby which displays in a spreadsheet format, the unit number and thumbnail photo for deliveries. (i.e. Hanger=Dry Cleaning/Box=UPS/Envelope=FedEx). They’ll also e-​mail you the minute a delivery arrives for you. You can also have them put it inside your door if you won’t be home before concierge closes.
DRY CLEANING: The Ladd has a dry cleaning service so you never leave the building to drop off/​pick up.
LOCATION: Wednesday the Farmers Market is on Park Avenue 2-​blocks down and Saturday 4-​blocks the opposite direction. The Oregon Symphony, Music Major PSU students and other musicians will practice on the Park Blocks, giving you a free show. I’d sit on the benches and read a book/​work on my laptop. Waking up to hearing a string quartet is not a bad way to rise for the day either. The Art Museum is 2-​blocks away and often has shows that take over the Park Blocks which are free to you. The Arlene Schnitzer Hall is right there (though parking for your guests is horrible when a show is going). Also obvious downtown perks with shopping/​restaurants/​amazing hh’s.
TRANSIT: 2-​blocks from the street car north bound and 1-​block south bound. 4 Blocks from the Max Rail. Download your phone apps for the up-​to-​the-​minute arrival schedule… however… allow 5 minutes for the stinking elevators here. Some times you can brew a cup of coffee in the time it takes to get to you. If you’re in heels, busting down 24-​flights of stairs is not an option. Not to mention you sound like a Clydesdale tromping down them with your stilettos. If you have an iPhone ‘PDXBUS’ is a great application and it’s free.
LEED GOLD CERTIFIED: Not only good for the carbon foot print, but also your utility bills.
TIPS:
GRANITE: The Ladds’ granite counter tops are almost indestructible HOWEVER their specific granite type is very porous. We had a Nespresso Machine that we didn’t move (cleaning didn’t require moving the full station) and it ended up permanently damaging the granite with a large dark stain. A heavy $ 250 fine for one square of granite… ouchie. Be aware of this — even my soap dish left a darker stain which did dry out because it’s water — but I repeat this granite is porous and absorbs quickly.
DOORWAY: The front doors slam hard, even if you don’t have the windows open (wind tunnel). There is also a large 1-​inch gap on the bottom (it drafts air, noise and light) I recommend getting a ‘draft blocker’ to fix both issues. Especially if you’re in the studio/​studio plus units where your bed is right by the door and the hall light floods in bright when you’re lights are off.
NOISE: The sound volume doesn’t travel so much, the bass does, in an overly sensitive fashion. Make sure to get something that will absorb the vibrations to hold your subwoofer. Other wise you’ll have your neighbors crawling up your privates.
LIGHTING: There are no main lights in the bedroom areas. Come prepared to bring your own lighting. Otherwise you won’t see anything, yet alone 1-​inch into your closet.
CONCIERGE: I love them, I just wish they were on staff ²⁴⁄₇. They close at 6 so if you get locked out, make your self at home in the lobby and risk having another resident call the cops on you thinking you’re homeless. (It actually happened, no, not to me).
Overall … I love this place. They did just raise rent though, so you’ll pay for it. My advice is instead of complaining, utilize the services and get the bang for your bucg

I have lived at Ladd since April 2011 and have overall loved it. As with any apartment complex, there are definitely pluses and minuses. People tend to ridicule the price — but what do you expect for downtown living? Of course I could move across the river to somewhere in SE, but then I would be stuck commuting into downtown for work and living next to some hippy. (Not my thing — can you tell?)
The pluses:
— Excellent, modern lighting/​fixtures in the apartments
— Great ombiance in the lobby
— Attentive concierge staff that always email me about package deliveries
— LEED Gold certification
— Access to Zipcars in the parking garage
— Beautiful views of downtown
— In-​unit washer and dryers
— Easy access to all bus and rail lines
— Controlled access to resident floors
The minuses:
— A little pricey (but worth ever penny for the close proximity to my work and school)
— Very little storage/​cabinet space in the kitchen
— Parking is EXPENSIVE! (Luckily I dont have a car)
Overall, I have been very pleased living here. If you’re looking for an urban downtown lifestyle (and don’t mind the price that comes with it), then Ladd may be the place for you, too.

This is one of the nicest buildings in Portland. After living in a 23 story tower in NW Portland for three years, a story came out in Willamette Week reminding us that a 9.0 earthquake is going to hit us one day — just like the one in Japan recently. Freakaphobe that I am, I contacted an architectural engineer who pretty much assured me the 1960’s era building I lived in would be a pancake.
I needed to assuage my panic and night sweats over my aversion to risk that began during the decade I lived in a Sauvie Island floating home and dreamed that would wake up floating down the Willamette into the ocean.
I searched high and low — from the Pearl to the South Waterfront. The Pearl apartments had zero view, the south waterfront had weird curving windows and narrow jagged entry halls that gave me the feng shui shakes. The Indigo was nice but they wanted $ 300 a month extra for units without carpeting ($ 3,600 a year to NOT have carpet? Whose brilliant marketing idea was that?)
I didn’t think we could afford the Ladd. But the rent was actually less here than all those other places and we got a higher unit on a corner with stunning views. Portland feels like a real city from this building. The place is a veritable earthquake fortress with enormous corner pillars that — let’s face it, if you don’t survive an earthquake at least you would be instantly crushed. The walls are 10″ thick concrete.
The staff has moments of anxiety that can be annoying but let’s face it. They’re dealing with a lot of pampered neurotics! Sure we could all be saving thousands of dollars living on the Eastside. But if you want to reduce your carbon footprint and work downtown, walking to work is freeing and amazing even in a pouring rain. Get yourself a great jacket and some rain pants and live the Ladd dream.
I have joked with my friends that the building should be Gold Weed certified instead of Gold Leed certified based on the aroma in the hallways and elevators, but what do you expect? We’re home to a lot of PSU twentysomethings.
Five stars. I’ll stay as long as I can afford it. Word to the wise: rental vacancy rates in Portland dropped to an extremely low 3.8% this spring and will go lower. That means rents will rise as building owners try to recoup their losses. Their expenses have risen about 7% over the last couple of years and rents have increased an average of 4%. Expect rents to go up 10 – 15 percent in the next year or two as investors start expecting better returns from their apartment holdings and former homeowners flock to the rental market.

I’m a regular visitor to a friend’s apartment here, and can attest that Ladd indeed is a wonderful place to live, with gorgeous views, modern furnishings, Zipcars and bike storage, LEED Gold certification, etc. I’ve also learned that one can negotiate a fairly reasonable price for the location, as there are many units yet unfilled… As a result, elevator rides yield a range of tenants, from PSU undergrads to yuppie couples to the conspicuously well-​heeled. Kind of an interesting mix, although these folks rarely interact.
But let’s not forget the artficial aesthetic that envelops this place. The lobby is hideous, complete with a faux waterfall and intolerable Muzak. The recorded woman’s voice which dictates every elevator movement is a bit too reminiscent of HAL 9000. Photographs in the halls are crude and often dumb, barely a step up from bolted-​to-​the-​wall hotel knock-​offs. The Community Room is outfitted with décor you’d expect in a showroom, not an actual living space occupied by human beings.
Not being an architect, I won’t go into the design of the building itself, but it’s telling that the developers had to switch from condos to apartments after the building was well under way. All told, it’s a fine place to live — if you can get it for a song — and a welcome infusion of energy to the South Park Blocks. But with its cookie-​cutter luxury accoutrements, one can’t say it’s added any character to the neighborhood.
PS Will someone with $ 2M to spare please lease the adjacent Ladd Carriage House? This vestige of the 19^th century has stood empty since its renovation. Rather embarrassing.